SCIENTISTS AT VANDERBILT WILL BEGIN SCREENING FOR A GENETIC VARIANT THAT INDUCES MYOPATHY (MUSCLE BREAKDOWN) IN PATIENTS TAKING THE DRUG SIMVASTATIN. PATIENTS WITH 2 COPIES OF THE GENE HAVE A 20X INCREASED RISK FOR MUSCLE ISSUES USING STATINS.  THE “PREDICT” TRIAL ALSO SCREENS FOR THE VARIANT THAT SOME POSSESS WHEN THEY TAKE PLAVIX AFTER A STENT, WHICH INTERACTS WITH CERTAIN OTHER DRUGS AND RENDERS PLAVIX LESS EFFECTIVE. 

AS I OFTEN STATE TO MY PATIENTS, IT’S NOT ENOUGH TO FIX CORONARY DISEASE WITH A BYPASS OR STENT, ITS MORE IMPORTANT TO FIND OUT WHY IT TRULY HAPPENED AND PREVENT IT FROM REOCCURRING! THE NEW AHA/ACC GUIDELINES INCLUDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO PRESCRIBE CARDIAC REHAB AFTER AN EVENT BY THE FIRST FOLLOW UP VISIT, SCREEN FOR DEPRESSION AFTER A BYPASS OR HEART ATTACK, AND MORE AGGRESSIVE MANAGEMENT OF ALL THOSE WONDERFUL RISK FACTORS THAT GET US INTO TROUBLE!

YES, WE ARE SMARTER “HEART” UNIVERSITY, BUT THIS TOPIC WAS A BUZZ IN THE OFFICE TODAY.  OBSERVATIONS OF NEARLY 106,000 FROM 1980 TO 2008 REVEALED A 15% INCREASE IN HORMONE DEPENDENT (RECEPTOR POSITIVE) INVASIVE BREAST CANCER IN WOMEN WHO CONSUMED 3-6 DRINKS PER WEEK.  THE RISK JUMPED TO 50% IF >30 DRINKS WERE CONSUMED WEEKLY, LARGELY DUE TO THE ASSOCIATION OF ALCOHOL WITH INCREASED ESTROGEN LEVELS. TAKE HOME POINT: WOMEN SHOULD WEIGH THEIR RISK OF BREAST CANCER VS. THEIR RISK OF HEART DISEASE (e.g.FAMILY HISTORY OF EITHER) BEFORE DECIDING ON WHETHER OR NOT TO CONSUME ALCOHOL REGULARLY. AGE WAS NOT A FACTOR IN THIS STUDY, BTW.

A RECENT REPORT CASTS SUSPICION THAT THE FDA UNDERESTIMATED “PSYCHIATRIC” SIDE EFFECTS (SUICIDE, DEPRESSION ETC) OF TAKING THIS DRUG VS. OTHER SMOKING CESSATION PRODUCTS (NICOTINE PATCH, BUPROPRION AKA WELBUTRIN/ZYBAN). DUE TO THESE  RISKS (3X HIGHER THAN BUPROPRION AND 9X HIGHER THAN NICOTINE PATCHES), CHANTIX (VARENICLINE) IS RECOMMENDED BY ONE GROUP TO BE USED AFTER THESE OTHER MEASURES HAVE FAILED, NOT AS FIRST LINE THERAPY. 

IN A STUNNING REVERSAL OF A LONG BELIEF THAT WOMEN SUFFER LOWER SUCCESS RATES AND HIGHER MORTALITY AFTER A CORONARY INTERVENTION (BALLOON, STENT ETC), A NEW STUDY SUGGESTS THE  SEX OF THE PATIENT ULTIMATELY DOES NOT DECIDE A WORSE OUTCOME. 

A RECENT STUDY OF 60+ HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS WITH TREATMENT USING ANGIOTENSIN RECEPTOR BLOCKERS (DIOVAN, AVAPRO, BENICAR, COZAAR ETC), RESULTED IN LESS DEMENTIA OVER A 10 YR PERIOD VS BETA BLOCKERS, CALCIUM BLOCKERS, OR DIURETICS. TAKE HOME POINT: CONTROL OF VASCULAR FACTORS, ESPECIALLY BLOOD PRESSURE KEEPS YOUR BRAIN INTACT! LISTEN TO OUR LAST LIVE RADIO SHOW ON THIS TOPIC WITH SPECIAL GUEST DR. JOEL ROSS FOR MORE DETAILS, NEW LIVE WEBCASTS ARE COMING!